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MRS. HOFFMAN'S HODGEPODGE OF HISTORICAL FACTS
April is National Poetry Month - this gave me an idea - to add information about famous American poets and perhaps lines of American Poetry. Why not add your own? I would love to read your favorite lines of poetry. Feel free to leave your own comments.
Think of this as a treasure hunt. You never know what delightful fact you might learn that day.
Enjoy
Mrs. Hoffman
April 1, 2012 - While it may be April Fool's Day, we need to start April off with something strong.
Let's start the month off with a colonial poet - Joel Barlow (1745-1812). He is most well known for The Hasty Pudding (1793) but he also wrote the epic poem The Columbiad (1809).
April 2, 2012 - William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878) He started his writing career at the age of 10 when he wrote to the local papers. One of his most famous poems was called "Thanatopsis". He continued to write poems that made people think. "In flowery June, When brooks send up a cheerful tune, And groves a joyous sound."
April 3, 2012 - Robert Frost - (1874-1963) - He won the Pulitzer Prize four times. One of his most famous poems "The Road Not Taken" is probably quoted more often than any other.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
April 4, 2012 - Since this is the day Congress declared the US flag would have 13 stripes for the original 13 colonies and one star for every state, I thought it would be great to celebrate Francis Scott Key (1779-1843) who wrote the Star Spangled Banner during the War of 1812. Here are just a few of those stirring lines:
O! Say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
April 5, 2012 - Carl Sandburg (1878-1967) He was first published in 1904. He went to Lombard, Knox College, and Northwestern University. Here is a bit of one of his most famous poems - Chicago.
Hog Butcher of the World,
Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,
Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the Big Shoulders.
April 6, 2012 - Shel Silverstein (1930-1999) - His Giving Tree is a favorite for many. Falling Up and A Light in the Attic have been shared with students around the world. Many do not know he even penned the song sung by Johnny Cash - called "A Boy Named Sue". Here is one of my favorites that always make the students laugh:
Homework! Oh homework!
I hate you! You stink!
I wish I could wash you
away in the sink!
April 7, 2012 - e.e. cummings (1894-1962) His real name is Edward Estlin Cummings. He wrote over 25 books of prose, poetry, plays, and more. He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and attended Harvard University. He is well-known for using mostly small letters and odd spacing in his poems.
in Just -
spring when the world is mud -
luscious the little lame baloonman
whistles far and wee
April 9, 2012 - Ogden Nash (1902-1971) - He started writing for Doubleday Page Publishers with a children's book. He loved to include nonsense in his poetry. Here's one kids will love:
April 10, 2012 - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) - He was born in Massachusetts and went to Harvard University at the age of 14 and graduated when he was 18. One of his poems is "Give All to Love"
April 11, 2012 - Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849) - He was born in Boston. His father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. His parents died young and Edgar was adopted by a man in Richmond, VA. His most famous poem was The Raven.
April 12, 2012 - Phyllis Wheatley (1753-1784) She was born in Senegal and sold into slavery at the age of 7. She was the first African American woman poet to be published. Her owners emancipated her. George Washington liked her poems and she even met him.
April 13, 2012 - Today is Thomas Jefferson's birthday, so I thought I would see if he wrote poetry. Not surprisingly he did. He was born in 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia. Here is a poem written by the third president.
April 8, 2012 - Langston Hughes (1902-1967) - He was the great-great-grandson of Charles Henry Langston, the first Black American to be elected to public office. Langston Hughes started writing poetry in 8th grade. Here is one of his most poignant poems:
I, too, sing America
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
April 9, 2012 - Ogden Nash (1902-1971) - He started writing for Doubleday Page Publishers with a children's book. He loved to include nonsense in his poetry. Here's one kids will love:
Whales have calves,
Cats have kittens,
Bears have cubs,
Bats have bittens,
Swans have cygnets,
Seals have puppies,
But guppies just have little guppies.
April 10, 2012 - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) - He was born in Massachusetts and went to Harvard University at the age of 14 and graduated when he was 18. One of his poems is "Give All to Love"
Give all to love;
Obey thy heart;
Friends, kindred, days,
estate, good frame,
Plans, credit and the Muse,
nothing refuse.
April 11, 2012 - Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849) - He was born in Boston. His father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. His parents died young and Edgar was adopted by a man in Richmond, VA. His most famous poem was The Raven.
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more."
April 12, 2012 - Phyllis Wheatley (1753-1784) She was born in Senegal and sold into slavery at the age of 7. She was the first African American woman poet to be published. Her owners emancipated her. George Washington liked her poems and she even met him.
Adieu, New-England's smiling meads,
Adieu, the flow'ry plain:
I leave thine op'ning charms, O spring,
And tempt the roaring main.
April 13, 2012 - Today is Thomas Jefferson's birthday, so I thought I would see if he wrote poetry. Not surprisingly he did. He was born in 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia. Here is a poem written by the third president.
Life's visions are vanished, it's dreams are no more.
Dear friends of my bosom, why bathed in tears?
I go to my fathers; I welcome the shore,
which crowns all my hopes,, or which buries my cares.
Then farewell my dear, my lov'd daughter, Adieu!
The last pang of life is in parting from you.
Two Seraphs await me, long shrouded in death;
I will bear them your love on my last parting breath.
April 14, 2012 - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) - He attended Bowdoin College at the age of 14 and graduated at age 18. Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of his classmates. He started writing poetry when he was young and even became published. One of his most famous was "Paul Revere's Ride".
April 15, 2012 - Alice Walker (1944-present) - When she was five she lost sight in one eye and yet managed to graduate as valedictorian of her class. Here is an excerpt from her poem - Before You Knew You Owned It:
April 16, 2012 - Jack Prelutsky (1940-present). He was born in Brooklyn, NY. A proud student of the NY public schools, he hated the way poetry was taught in schools. Now he is the author of more than 30 poetry collections including Pizza the Size of the Sun. Here is one of his poems:
April 17, 2012 - Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) - Her family moved to Chicago during the Great Migration. She published her first poem at the age of 13 to a children's magazine. Her first book of poetry was called "A Street in Bronzeville" in 1945. She wrote a poem about Chicago mayor - Harold Washington.
April 18, 2012 - Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) - She was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. Her grandfather was one of the founders of Amherst College. She attended Mount Holyoke College for only a year before returning home and living a life of seclusion. When she was in her twenties, she started writing poetry. Here is one of her poems:
April 19, 2012 - Ezra Pound (1885-1972) He was born in Hailey, Idaho. He went to several colleges before traveling to Spain, Italy, and London. He returned to the United States in 1945. Here is one of his poems, A Girl
Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in seventy-five
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
April 15, 2012 - Alice Walker (1944-present) - When she was five she lost sight in one eye and yet managed to graduate as valedictorian of her class. Here is an excerpt from her poem - Before You Knew You Owned It:
Expect nothing. Live frugally
On surprise.
become a stranger
to need of pity
or, if compassion be freely
given out
take only enough
stop short of urge to plead
then purge away the need.
April 16, 2012 - Jack Prelutsky (1940-present). He was born in Brooklyn, NY. A proud student of the NY public schools, he hated the way poetry was taught in schools. Now he is the author of more than 30 poetry collections including Pizza the Size of the Sun. Here is one of his poems:
Be glad your nose is on your face,
not pasted on some other place,
for if it were where it is not,
you might dislike your nose a lot.
Imagine if your precious nose
were sandwiched in between your toes,
that clearly would not be a treat,
for you'd be forced to smell your feet.
April 17, 2012 - Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) - Her family moved to Chicago during the Great Migration. She published her first poem at the age of 13 to a children's magazine. Her first book of poetry was called "A Street in Bronzeville" in 1945. She wrote a poem about Chicago mayor - Harold Washington.
Mayor. Worldman. Historyman.
Beyond steps that occur and close,
your steps are echo-makers.
You can never be forgotten.
April 18, 2012 - Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) - She was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. Her grandfather was one of the founders of Amherst College. She attended Mount Holyoke College for only a year before returning home and living a life of seclusion. When she was in her twenties, she started writing poetry. Here is one of her poems:
I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us -- don't tell!
they'd banish -- you know!
How dreary to be somebody!
How public like a frog
To tell one's name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
April 19, 2012 - Ezra Pound (1885-1972) He was born in Hailey, Idaho. He went to several colleges before traveling to Spain, Italy, and London. He returned to the United States in 1945. Here is one of his poems, A Girl
The tree has entered my hands,
The say has ascended my arms,
The tree has grown in my breast-
downward,
The branches grow out of me, like arms.
April 20, 2012 - Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950) - She was born in Maine and is also known for writing plays. She attended Vassar College. She won a Pulitzer Prize for The Harp-Weaver and other Poems.
And if I loved Wednesday,
Well, what is that to you?
I do not love you Thursday
So much is true.
April 21, 2012 - William Carlos Williams (1883-1963) - He was born in Rutherford, New Jersey. He studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and became friends with Ezra Pound. He tried to emulate everyday speech. Here is his poem - A Sort of A Song:
Let the snake wait under
his weed
and the writing
be of words, slow and quick, sharp
to strike, quiet to wait,
sleepless.
-through metaphor to reconcile
the people and the stones.
Compose (No ideas
but in things) Invent!
Saxifrage is my flower that splits
the rocks.
April 22, 2012 - Archibald MacLeish (1892-1982) - He was born in Glencoe, Illinois and grew up on estate that bordered Lake Michigan. He attended Yale and became a member of the Skull and Bones secret society. He served in the war as an ambulance driver. For a while he practiced law before moving to Paris. In his later years he taught at Harvard and Amherst.
April 23 - Maya Angelou (1928-present) - Her real name was Marguerite Johnson and she was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She has written many books and collections of poetry. She was also the first black woman director in Hollywood. Her poem "I know why the caged bird sings" is also the title of one of her books.
April 24 - Gary Soto - (1952-present) - He was born in Fresno, California. He did not become interested in school until high school. The Elements of San Joaquin won the US award for International Poetry in 1976. Here is a sample of his poem A Red Palm.
April 25 - Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) He was born in Concord, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard College. He went to live at Walden Pond after his brother died. Here is one of his poems:
April 26 - Willa Cather (1873-1947) She was born in Virginia. She attended the university in Lincoln, Nebraska. She is the writer of many books.
April 27 - Stephen Crane (1871-1900) He was the youngest of 14 children and attended Syracuse University. He lived in New York and wrote for several different newspapers. He won praise for his play - The Red Badge of Courage that he wrote when he was only 24 years old.
April 28 - Marianne Moore (1887-1972) - She was born near St. Louis, Missouri. She was raised by her grandfather and attended Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. She was a teacher at the Carlisle Indian School from 1911-1915. Here is her poem - Fish -
April 29 - John Trumbull (1750-1831) He was born in Watertown, Connecticut. He was a lawyer and entered Yale when he was only 13 years old. One of his poems is "The Country Clown".
April 30 - Emma Lazarus - (1849-1887) - she was a member of New York's literary scene. She writes beautiful petry and essays protesting the rise of anti-Semitish and arguing for Russian immigrants' rights. Here is her poem - Destiny done in 1856
Ars Poetica
A poem should be palpable and mute
As a globed fruit
Dumb
as old medallions to the thumb
Silent as the sleeve-worn stone
Of casement ledges where the moss has grown --
A poem should be wordless
As the flight of birds.
April 23 - Maya Angelou (1928-present) - Her real name was Marguerite Johnson and she was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She has written many books and collections of poetry. She was also the first black woman director in Hollywood. Her poem "I know why the caged bird sings" is also the title of one of her books.
A free bird leaps on the back of the wind
and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wing in the orange suns rays and dares to claim the sky.
April 24 - Gary Soto - (1952-present) - He was born in Fresno, California. He did not become interested in school until high school. The Elements of San Joaquin won the US award for International Poetry in 1976. Here is a sample of his poem A Red Palm.
You're in this dream of cotton plants.
You raise a hoe, swing, and the first weeds
Fall with a sigh. You take another step,
Chop, and the sign comes again,
Until you yourself are breathing that way
With each step, a sigh that will follow you into town.
April 25 - Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) He was born in Concord, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard College. He went to live at Walden Pond after his brother died. Here is one of his poems:
My life has been the poem I would have writ,
But I could not both live and utter it.
April 26 - Willa Cather (1873-1947) She was born in Virginia. She attended the university in Lincoln, Nebraska. She is the writer of many books.
In the tavern of my heart
Many a one has sat before,
Drunk red wine and sung a stave,
And, departing, come no more,
When the night was cold without,
And the ravens croaked of storm,
They have sat them at my hearth,
Telling me my house was warm.
April 27 - Stephen Crane (1871-1900) He was the youngest of 14 children and attended Syracuse University. He lived in New York and wrote for several different newspapers. He won praise for his play - The Red Badge of Courage that he wrote when he was only 24 years old.
Black riders came from the sea
There was clang and clang of speak and shield,
And clash ad clash of hoof and heel,
Wild shouts and the wave of hair
In the rush upon the wind:
Thus the ride of sin.
April 28 - Marianne Moore (1887-1972) - She was born near St. Louis, Missouri. She was raised by her grandfather and attended Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. She was a teacher at the Carlisle Indian School from 1911-1915. Here is her poem - Fish -
wade
through black jade.
Of the crow-blue mussel-shells, one keeps
adjusting the ash-heaps;
opening and shutting itself like
an
injured fan.
Bred in distant woods, the clown
Brings all his country airs to town;
The odd address, with awkward grace,
that bows with half averted face;
The half-heard compliments, whose note
Is swallow'd in the trembling throat;
April 30 - Emma Lazarus - (1849-1887) - she was a member of New York's literary scene. She writes beautiful petry and essays protesting the rise of anti-Semitish and arguing for Russian immigrants' rights. Here is her poem - Destiny done in 1856
Paris, from throats of iron, silver, brass,
Joy-thundering cannon, blent with chiming bells,
And martial strains, the full-voiced paean swells,
The air is starred with flags, the chanted mass
Throng all the churches, yet the broad streets swarm
With glad-eyed groups who chatter, laugh, and pass,
In holiday confusion, class with class.
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